Sulphury Flycatcher

Tyrannopsis sulphurea

Medium-sized flycatcher with a plumage pattern—brownish above, yellow below—that recalls Tropical Kingbird, but Sulphury Flycatcher is much darker gray on the face and head and has a contrasting white throat. Inhabits a variety of forest types but is most common in flooded and edge habitats with many palms—especially common in Moriche palm stands in savanna regions. Generally sluggish; usually in pairs, which take inconspicuous perches and sally to surrounding vegetation for insects (unlike kingbirds, which sit on exposed perches and tend to catch insects from the air). Highly vocal; distinctive, loud calls have electric quality and are usually heard before birds are seen.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Tyrannopsis sulphurea
Authority
(Spix, 1825)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Tyrannidae
Genus
Tyrannopsis

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Little Bee-eater

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

A small, mostly grass-green bee-eater with a canary-yellow throat separated from buff underparts by a black line across the throat. Singles and pairs occupy grassy savanna and wetland edges. They often perch lower than 1.5 m above the ground, and dart around hunting flying insects, then returning to the same small twig. Calls include a sibilant “s-lip” and other high-pitched notes. The Blue-breasted Bee-eater is slightly larger and has a white patch on the cheek. The much larger Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater has burnt orange underparts, and it prefers highland forest above 1800 m.

Chestnut-bellied Thrush

Chestnut-bellied Thrush

Turdus fulviventris

Handsome cloud forest thrush found mainly along the east slope of the Andes. Visitors from North America may be struck by its similarity to American Robin. No other thrush in range has a chestnut belly. Adults also have a dark hood, yellow bill, and yellow eyering. Young birds lack the dark hood and have mottled underparts. Uncommon and usually encountered feeding in fruiting trees; rarely comes down to the ground.

Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove

Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove

Ptilinopus iozonus

The common, small fruit-dove of more open wooded areas in the lowlands and foothills. Stocky, short-tailed and mainly green. Gathers in large groups in the canopy of fruiting fig trees. Similar to female White-breasted and Claret-breasted Fruit-Doves but Orange-bellied Fruit-Dove has an orange central belly, pale eye and lacks the yellow stripe between the bill and eye of White-breasted. Common call, a series of accelerating, upslurred “wuup” notes.

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